2009 Startups – Shadows & Whispers Import Export Company

Ashley Alexander, Class of 2009

Shadows & Whispers Import Export Company is a production company that focuses on the nuances. We use film as a medium to bridge cultural differences and promote understanding. We make movies and TV shows to entertain, educate and shape the world by turning stereotypes upside down. Our stories are hidden in the shadows, those that are only whispered about. We travel to the ends of the earth to find them and share them with the world, giving voice to the unheard, empowering the powerless and humanizing the alien. At the same time, we strongly believe that creativity must be matched by the market, balancing good stories with good investment opportunities.

Shadows & Whispers is the brainchild of Ashley Alexander P‘09, a filmmaker hailing from Texas, and Tekeste Negga, a successful entrepreneur from Ethiopia, both based in Beijing, China. As adventurers and entrepreneurs, we are particularly drawn by opportunities in emerging media markets. Our diverse cultural background and experience ranging from the US to Africa via China has allowed us to build an extensive international network of investors, talent and disruptive cross-platform distribution channels.

We are currently in development on a political black comedy short film set in Africa and a China-Africa co-production adventure comedy film. Our pipeline includes a political thriller TV show in Africa, a black comedy US-China co-production about family, and a comedy web series in China about entrepreneurs. For more information, please visit www.shadowhisper.com